


Four People Who Understood And One Who Didn't

by TheGeekySquirrel



Series: Smoke Rises [1]
Category: A Heist With Markiplier, Who Killed Markiplier? (Web Series)
Genre: Adventure, Being Trapped in a Mirror is the Best Way to Become Magical, Cuddling & Snuggling, DA's Real Fuckin' Old, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, District Attorney needs a Hug, Emotional Baggage, Friendship/Love, Gen, I don't expand upon that idea but it's there, Light Angst, Magic, Other, Past Relationship(s), Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Yancy Likes Birds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:46:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22900438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGeekySquirrel/pseuds/TheGeekySquirrel
Summary: Illinois is itching to leave. Magnum would like to see the ocean again. Yancy doesn't know how to stretch his wings. Wilford noticed something especially interesting. Dark wants to be in control.One by one, they all end up listening to Them.{PLEASE READ THE NOTE AT THE BEGINNING FOR SOME CONTEXT ON MY DA}
Relationships: Captain Magnum & District Attorney, Captain Magnum & OC, Damien | The Mayor/Y/N | The District Attorney (Who Killed Markiplier?), Illinois & District Attorney, Illinois & OC, Wilford Warfstache | William J. Barnum | The Colonel & Y/N | The District Attorney, Wilford Warfstache | William J. Barnum | The Colonel/Y/N | The District Attorney, Yancy & District Attorney, Yancy & OC
Series: Smoke Rises [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2046776
Comments: 4
Kudos: 43





	1. Adventure is Out There!

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so! My version of the DA is mostly just an OC and doesn't have much in common with me. They are transmasc nonbinary (he/they, mostly the latter), half Mexican, half Irish. They broke out of the mirror in 2015, are the POV character for both Date and Heist, and have been living in the ego household since early 2017. They act as the legal team for the ego household so they're on friendly terms with pretty much everyone in the household minus Darkiplier but we'll get to him later. 
> 
> That's about all I want you to know going into this, I hope you like this!

Illinois has traveled all over the world in his time. He’s nearly drowned in the Dardanelles, mapped out a hundred miles of tunnels under the mountains of Peru, visited London more times than anyone should, and lost count of how many animal heavens he’s visited. But he’s never been in a place like this. 

It’s huge, for starters. On the outside, it doesn’t look so big, but on the inside- you could get lost in these halls for days without ever finding the exit. Someone- he thinks they were one of the Googles, but it’s hard to tell with all the similar faces- had told him the house’s consistent expanding and changing nature was mustachioed one’s doing. He didn’t know if they were telling the truth and he honestly didn’t care. Illinois didn’t tend to go anywhere but his room and the kitchen much anyway, if he was even home. The others around him were some of the oddest people he’d ever met two. For one, they all had his face. Nothing was more surreal than going to get breakfast at four in the morning and finding yourself already perched on the counter with a piece of buttered toast. At least some of them had minor differences in appearance- a large beard on one, bloody bandages around the eyes of another, etc.

He genuinely didn’t know how he’d ended up here. The last thing he remembered before walking in the front door of this place was spelunking through a cave in China, then he turned the corner and he was here. It’s not like he’s angry to be in a safe home in California instead of literally anywhere else, he… no that’s exactly how he felt. It was his initial thought about this place when he first walked in and he’s been itching to go somewhere else ever since. 

The only thing keeping him here was  _ them _ . They were his last associate before he showed up here. When they’d come down the stairs, he’d nearly had a heart attack. They’d looked at him and burst into the cheesiest grin he’d ever seen. Then again, that smile probably wasn’t meant for him. He hadn’t been alone when he walked in- there was also this sea captain and a criminal beside him, just as confused as he was. Both of his compatriots had also known them as well. The criminal had rushed up the stairs to hug them as soon as he realized who they were, and the captain hadn’t let them leave his sight. Sure, they showed him around and introduced him to every person they came across and told him just about everything he could ever need to know about what was going on. But they hadn’t spent more than a minute talking to him since.

Of course, they were busy. Apparently, they’d been a district attorney in another life, so their role in the house was any legal business, and between the criminal he’d met on arrival and the few murderous individuals around the house, he didn’t doubt that they were always working. He was honestly impressed at how good they were at this job. He’d been in the house for twelve and a half weeks and no one had seen a day of court. They worked closely with Dark as well, which he’d been assured is not an easy task. From the few interactions he’s had with the man, he doesn’t doubt it. Yet, they have come out of every interaction with Dark without so much as a frown. Then there’s the fact that the mustachioed one, Wilford Warfstache, never quite seems to be too far from them. Illinois has seen his talk show, and while it’s entertaining, it’s not uncommon for the man to point a gun at his guest. Besides his constant legal trouble, Wilford seems to just really enjoy being around them. Illinois doesn’t fault him for having that attitude. In his opinion, they’re one of his favorite associates. So he leaves them alone and ignores his disappointment when they don’t seek him out. They probably don’t have time for an adventure. 

Except, today, he’s woken up by a knock on his door. Illinois groans as he slips out of bed and grabs the nearest pair of sweatpants. He looks in the mirror once he’s pulled them on to be greeted with a hot mess. If he had time, he’d rush to the bathroom and fix his hair at least, but the knocking sounded urgent. He opens the door to find them dressed in hiking gear with a folded-up map in hand.

“Morning, Illinois. Mind if I come in to talk?”

His brain jumped into action right away. He moved out of their way, letting them move past the door. He grabbed one of the several tank-tops off his bed and sniffed it- this one’s good for another few wears. Illinois slipped it over his head quickly. He can’t have this one fall in love with him this late in the game, he’d just end up feeling bad for the poor kid. Speaking of them, they were now standing in the middle of the room, seeing as all of Illinois’s chairs were covered with various items. He bounced over to the best one and swiped all the items onto the ground. It wasn’t anything important, just hats and various artifacts from his adventures. They can live on the floor for now. He’ll get around to cleaning it all up eventually. 

Illinois moved back to his bed, collapsing on top of the covers, “So, what’s this all about, my friend?”

“Well,” they started, “I’ve noticed that you’ve seemed a little restless recently. Like you wanna go out on another adventure? And I’m not alone in that- Google said you’ve been researching long lost treasures recently. So, talk to me. Are you already looking to get out of here?”

A lump caught in his throat as he realized he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. They had him nailed. Illinois let out a long sigh, “I mean, it’s been great around here. All of you are so kind for letting me stay, but… I’m an adventurer. I’m married to my work, I can’t just abandon all of that for this place. It’s been nice to spend time with your friends, but I need to get back out there. You know, exploring the darkest recesses of the world, finding long-forgotten treasures, that sort of thing. That’s what I do.”

They shook their head, “Illinois, you can’t leave like that. This is the home base now. You have to be available for monthly movie nights and the next time Bim tries to film an episode of his canceled show, because that’s what every ego does here. You’re one of them, Illinois. You can’t skip out on all this, it just doesn’t work like that.”

He felt something in him crumble and frustration bubble up in his throat. This is everything they’d told him when he first got here. It wasn’t any less nonsensical as it’d been then. He needed to get out there.    
  


“However, I have a possible solution.” They tossed the map to him. “Host helped me find this gem, so we’ll have to thank him.”

“Gems, you say?” Illinois asked as he unfolded the map. It showed the region around the house, mostly focused on the deep woods north of the place. He’d wanted to venture into those since day one, so the prospect of precious gems being within set off electricity in his head. 

“Maybe. There’s supposedly a powerful magical artifact hidden somewhere in the woods. It can grant teleportation powers to the user, but I’m not sure what it actually  _ is _ . It would help you be available for us here at the house while still allowing you to go off on your adventures. I triangulated its location to somewhere in the northeastern part of the woods, close to the mountains, though probably not  _ in _ them. We’ll be out there for about a week I’d say, but if something happens Wil’s gonna come find us. Otherwise, it’ll be just you and me. So, what do you say? Do you wanna help me find these?”

Illinois was a little hesitant by the uncertainty of the trip, but the idea of finding something so powerful was mouth-watering. He couldn’t stop himself from nodding excitedly as he poured over the notes written all over the map. A rudimentary path was drawn from the house’s location towards a circled portion right where they said this thing is. Half the notes were in their messier, broken handwriting he’d learned to read from their letters. The other half were in a much cleaner, though still shaky handwriting he could only assume was The Host’s. He’d have to thank that handsome bastard before they left. 

His associate left him with the map that morning, with a promise to set out by noon that same day. Illinois took time to pack everything he’d need. By the time they had to set out, he’d completely forgotten about all his woes at the house in favor of the adventure ahead.

* * *

* * *

Three days later, Illinois felt free. He’d been exploring the forest with them, only barely following the path on the map. There wasn’t much of a path through these woods, so they had to blaze a trail for themselves. The walking stick Illinois had received from a Romani leader in southern Sweden after he’d saved her daughter from an incredibly poisonous snake had proved to be a great help along their journey. It had also served as proof of the tale when he’d told his associate about the whole business. It was part of a series of stories he’d shared with them to pass the time. He hadn’t done all the talking though, for once. As it turns out, they had their own share of fantastic tales as well. Their life in the 1930s had been full of bravery and fun. Illinois found himself enjoying their company more than the adventure. For once, that was just fine. Besides that terrifying closeness, they were the perfect company. Nothing seemed especially odd about them, until later that day.

They’d already made camp for the night and were working on some food. Illinois had gone over the map and discovered that they were within a few hour’s walk of their goal. If all went well tomorrow, he’d be home with another extraordinary artifact on his belt by supper. His associate was telling a story about an unnamed person they’d been sweet on as they made supper when it happened.

“Did he really try to pull that in a classroom, in front of your instructor?” he asked with one eyebrow cocked in disbelief They shook their head with a chuckle, “Of course. Damien was always the type to do something crazy to prove a point.”

In hindsight, he wouldn’t have latched on to that name had he known. 

“Oh, so this mystery man was a  _ Damien _ ?”

They didn’t respond. He couldn’t see the expression on their face, but Illinois knew something was off about that silence. “My friend? Is something wrong?”

A shaking sigh from their direction alarmed him. He was up in an instant and walking around the fire to look them in the eye. His associate turned away, dropping the cooking utensil they’d been using just left of the flames. Their arm had a large, ugly scar scratched into it that Illinois could’ve sworn wasn’t there a moment ago. Just as soon as he saw it, the fire let out a large crack, making the adventurer jump. The scar was gone when he looked back. They were looking at him now. Anything that’d been bothering them a moment ago seemed to be gone. Now they just looked empty. When they spoke, their voice was the loudest whisper on the wind. 

“Yeah, that was his name. And he was a fucking fool, just like me.” Their voice- and arm- cracked on the last word. When they spoke again, it seemed to go back to normal, “I guess in that way we were perfectly matched. It doesn’t matter anymore, I guess. He’s gone and, well, I’m not much like myself these days. It just wasn’t meant to work out. Nothing to do now but keep going on.”

They picked their utensil back up and checked on the food. “Oop, looks like it’s ready. Let’s tuck in and then head to bed. Tomorrow’s gonna be a big day. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover if we wanna be home early.

They didn’t mention their break once. It was all Illinois could think about as he laid in his sleeping bag that night. He thought about how nasty that scar had seemed, and how he’d never noticed it before. It was so big, and it had zig-zagged down the entire length of their arm, splitting off their hand at the wrist. Maybe it had been a trick of light, nothing more than smoke and mirrors. That was the only explanation. He’d surely have known if they’d gone through something so terrible to leave such a terrible scar like that. 

As he finally drifted off to sleep, something was still off about the scar. Really, it hadn’t looked much like a scar at all. It was more like a crack in a mirror. But that was impossible, his associate wasn’t a mirror, their skin couldn’t crack like that. He dropped the topic entirely and let himself fall gratefully into a deep slumber. 

* * *

* * *

The next day was just as busy as they had promised. They’d done a good job figuring out where exactly the artifact was from clues in the section they’d read, but it only really narrowed their search area down so much. They put their heads together over a light breakfast to figure out how to do it. Illinois quickly agreed to split up, as much as it sounded like a bad idea to him. He helped them pack up camp and savored every second they spent with him. The final stretch was just another two hour’s walk, and Illinois was determined to have fun with them before they split up.

He’d never felt so close to someone before. It was beyond terrifying. His brain told him to get away, find that artifact as quickly as possible, and get out of here before they get hurt. He couldn’t imagine living in a world without them there for a good chat after days of one-on-one time with them. He refused to even think of what he would do if they got hurt because of him. Illinois had to hurry up this search, but it wouldn’t hurt if he spent another five minutes bantering with them on the best motorcycle brand. 

Illinois felt far too disappointed for his own good when they finally reached their destination. He waved goodbye before moving off to the right. He tapped the ground in front of him with his walking stick carefully as he moved further into the brush. He didn’t want to accidentally crush the artifact under his foot before he got a chance to use it. That move would waste all of his associate’s hard work towards this for him. They’d have spent days wandering around the forest and more time before that researching this topic to find a way for him to go adventuring again for nothing. He’d hate to waste all that time by breaking the prize. 

Illinois heard the sound of wood hitting some kind of crystal and stopped dead. He tapped around with his stick more before locating the object he’d hit. The adventurer bent down, setting his tool at his side, and began moving debris aside until he finally uncovered his prize. It was just a simple pair of glasses. The glass was tinted slightly yellow and dusty with age, with three extra magnifiers attached to the right side. It was an odd find, for sure, but probably not the artifact he was looking for. The glasses probably weren’t even a century old yet. 

He stood up and called out anyway. They’d promised to yell for each other if either of them found something. Illinois was just fulfilling his duty. His associate came quickly with a grin on their face. 

“You find something?”

“Yeah,” he said, holding out the glasses once they were in arm’s reach. They stopped cold and stared blankly at the item. Illinois could practically hear the gears in their brain going into hyperdrive. When they finally started moving again, their legs seemed to be stiff as boards. His associate took the glasses carefully, examining them closely. 

“Oh my god,” they breathed out. Illinois felt the air around them turn thick as cream. He watched their amazed expression as they examined every inch of the frames. They stalled for a long moment again when they unfolded the glasses. Something about the inscription on the left arm-  _ William, My Eternal Friend _ \- had them frozen. Then a thumb ran over the letters and they folded the glasses again. The scar hit the corner of his eyes. This time it stayed put. They turned to him with tears hitting a warbling smile. 

“Are you okay?” came out of his mouth like instinct. They shook their head slowly, deliberately. 

“No, Illinois. I haven’t been okay for a long time. I…” their grip on the frames became noticeably tight as they choked out, “I miss them so goddamn much. Every. Single. Day. I wake up and deal with Dark’s shit and I’m always around Wil and sometimes,  _ fuck _ , it’s sometimes just too much. I wanted to get away from them for once. Just leave it all behind for once. But, this is it! This is what we were looking for, and it was William’s glasses! I can’t get away from this thing I've been trying to fix for fucking  _ years _ without any progress! I just wanted to go on a trip with my  _ friend _ who had nothing to do with that weekend. Is that so much to ask?”

Their tears fell in waves. Illinois didn’t know what else to do besides pull them close and not let go. He held onto them, right there on the forest floor, as they clutched the glasses and cried. He had no idea what they were talking about or why this was hurting them so much or what mistake they were trying to fix, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting his friend home safe. He nearly lost it too when they suddenly lurched as his fingertips brushed against the glasses. Looking around, Illinois realized they were in his bedroom, just as he’d left it a few days prior. 

Slowly, he went into action. Illinois unclipped both their packs and pushed them onto the floor. The loud thunk probably alerted one of the other egos around them, but he would deal with that later. Right now, he gently maneuvered them into lying down on his bed and untangled himself from their hold. He only stayed away for long enough to remove their shoes, then his boots, then he cuddled up to them again. Illinois stroked the back of their hair and pressed a kiss to their forehead. 

“I’m here, it’s okay. You don’t have to explain anything to me.”

Their crying eventually pulled them into sleep. Illinois sat up for a bit longer, thinking about everything that had happened. They were tougher than he’d given them credit for. He admittedly had no idea what they’d gone through. However, it didn’t matter. Moments like this, where he can comfort his friend, is what matters. His thoughts drifted momentarily to those future adventures he’d planned before this trip. Illinois quickly decided to put those off. He’d get to them eventually. Right now, he was going to stay here for them. He drifted off to sleep in the arms of his friend with that promise ringing out in his head. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wonder if you can tell which of the Heist egos is my favorite? Huh, I dunno, I mean, Magnum's pretty good and Yancy's a fan favorite, huh, but gosh I made Illinois' chapter the first and the longest! Damn, guess that means I like him most. Put an F in chat for me.


	2. A Pirate's Life for Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canon: Magnum only cares about his gold  
> My Headcanon: ...and his first mate.

Captain Melmael Magnum had learned a long time ago to never trust anyone or anything besides gold. Fair-weather friends will leave you for dead the second something goes wrong, and most things will wither away as soon as you touch them. Not gold. Gold stays exactly where you leave it, gorgeous even after decades of neglect. It won’t abandon you in your final days. Sure, it might not be a fair conversation partner, but that’s what a crew’s for. 

Which leads him to his first mate. He was angry when they left, true, but the letter they left behind explained everything well enough. They’d even warned him about how he’d suddenly find himself on a doorstep one day. At the time, he’d taken it as a mad man’s false prophecy. How surprised he was when it came true! He hadn’t even remembered their words until they walked down a flight of stairs to greet him and the lads who’d showed up next to him. Their explanation of the “egos” thing still confused him. But now, fourteen weeks into his stay , it was probably for the best that he left that topic alone. All he needed to know was that there was a house full of lads with his face (minus the luxurious beard) which he now called home. That was fine by him- this was something like his retirement plan anyways. His younger brother, Black Scrote, could rule the seas in his stead. Magnum still had all his gold. It was fine.

Still, Magnum missed the water something fierce. He often dreamed of waking up in his quarters again or finding a great treasure the way he did not too long ago. His first mate, the only one who might understand, was barely around either. Something about being a lawyer type, the Warfstache lad, and a man called Dark kept them away all hours of the day. If you asked him, it was like the start of one of those romantic novels he sometimes read when the days drag on for too long. 

He was just in the middle of one of those when someone cleared their throat towards him. Magnum looked down to find said scallywag looking up at him expectantly. They had their hair put back in a braid and a pair of heeled leather books held in one hand. 

“Oh, ahoy me heartie.”

“Ahoy, Captain. I was wondering if you’d like to join me on an errand I’m running today.”

Magnum quirked an eyebrow as he dog-eared his page. “And what is this errand, if ye don’ mind me askin’?”

They held up a hat- his own hat! Oh, sink him, how’d they get that? He’d lost it shortly after his arrival when one of them fancy computing fellows- the one with the sunglasses whom he’d soon take his revenge on- “borrowed” it for some trick. Magnum reclaimed it as they explained.

“King and I recently took a look at the land the house is on and found that there’s a small lake to the south of us that no one’s ever scoped out before. I was thinking it’d be nice to go take a look today, maybe see if there’s anything around there which might prove useful to us. Wil promised to accompany me, but Eric’s baking today and Wil has first dibs on it this time, meaning he’s probably gonna try to help. That’s another reason to get out of the house for the day, to be fully honest. So, you want to get away from these assholes?”

He didn’t exactly understand half of what they’d said, but the part about the water had excited Magnum quite a bit. He placed his book in an inner pocket of his coat and drew up to his full height again, “Aye, that sounds like a fair way to spend a couple o’ hours. Are we going now?”

They burst into laughter, “Oh hell no! I’m still in my jammies- there’s no way I’m going out in my jammies. I’m not sure when we’ll head out yet.” They turned around and shouted down the hallway, “Hey Google, when’s Eric gonna start baking?”

“In an hour!” a faint, monotone voice called back. They nodded and started walking around the captain. 

“I’ll meet you in the living room in an hour. It’s a little cold today, so dress warmly. See you then, Captain!"

* * *

* * *

The walk over had been hell on his wooden leg. But this lake was absolutely worth it. It didn’t stretch on forever the way the sea did, and it didn’t have the same salty smell, but it was water. Magnum was at a point where he would’ve given anything to see this much water again. His first mate seemed rather enthralled by it as well. They stood taking in the view for a while before asking the captain on a walk around it. Magnum simply nodded and followed closely behind them. Whenever they started sinking into the mud, they redirected him a bit further away to keep him from falling. He smiled internally at the loyalty they had always shown him. They were one of the best first mates he’d ever had, on land and on sea. The last one before them had nearly shoved him overboard. He would’ve fallen into the sea had this one not pulled him back to safety just in the nick of time. 

The fact that they had gone on to beat his previous first mate to a bloody pulp before abandoning him on a tiny raft in the middle of the ocean had definitely helped cement his high opinion of them. Who wouldn’t think so well of someone like them in those circumstances? They were something special, even if he hadn’t seen it while they were on the sea. Of course, he hadn’t quite gotten the chance to see how nice they were then, what with them leaving shortly after getting their small share of the treasure. He’d assumed the worst of them at that time. Magnum would never admit how wrong he’d been out loud. It simply wasn’t befitting of a man of his stature. However, he could think anything he wanted about how wrong he was. 

In the here and now, their expression was becoming more and more confused. Something about this place was odd to them, but they wouldn’t say anything about it. Then a cabin just a few meters off of the lake came into view. Their gasp startled the captain so much he jumped backwards. Half his mind was screaming at him to draw his gun. The other half watched his first mate suddenly break into a sprint in the direction of the small structure. Magnum didn’t understand it one bit. It was just a tiny little cabin, with a small pile of wood stacked up outside and one window right next to the door. Nothing seemed to be too off about the place, not anything that would warrant the reaction they were having to it. He followed in their footsteps to try to figure some of this out. 

They slowed to a stop just before reaching the door. There, they laid their hand on the trunk of a tall pine tree. As Magnum drew closer, he recognized two carvings on it. Both were of hearts with initials inside- WJB + CB in one, he couldn’t quite make out the letters in the other. They were just classic symbols of adolescent love, something he reads about in his little novels all the time. Nothing worth stopping to look at for more than a second. They pulled their hand away and turned back towards the cabin. With one steely breath, they moved on from the carvings. 

Magnum hung back. That cabin looked half-rotted and like it hadn’t been opened in a century. Opening it would mean getting a lungful of dust and whatever else laid inside. There was no way he was going to suffer just to look inside. His first mate however, well, they could test to see if it was safe. They tried the handle and- nothing. It didn’t look like the door was budging one bit. His matey groped around the ground nearby for a bit before lifting a rock to reveal a small silver key. It looked much like the kind Magnum was familiar with. They used it on the door; it swung open immediately.

No cloud of dust came out. They waltzed in, allowing Magnum to get a pretty good look at the contents of the place from his angle. There was a small table and a chair across from the door, and he could see the corner of a bed not much further in. On the table lay a black cane with a silver handle. There was also a heavy, brown winter coat laying over the back of the chair. He couldn’t see much else besides that without getting closer, and as nice as it looked inside, Magnum still wasn’t risking a nasty cough. 

His first mate came out carrying the cane a few minutes later. They looked grayer than they had upon going in. He couldn’t see their face, but it was obvious they were tearing up. Magnum had to say something.

“What, uh, what you got there, matey?”

They looked up at him as the gray disappeared- how odd- and held out the cane for Magnum to look over. “It’s a powerful artifact. I’ve come in contact with it before, but it’s grown stronger since the last time I saw it. This thing would allow you to directly possess the body of another person, maybe even multiple people at this point. Last time I saw it, it was in the hands of an insanely powerful entity. I… I never thought I’d see it again. I can’t believe he just left it behind like this.”

Seeing it up close, Magnum realized that the handle didn’t seem to be made of pure silver. It was also worn down by constant use, like someone had twisted their hand around it often. He wondered why anyone would treat such a fine cane like a silly plaything. In any case, it didn’t look like his first mate was giving it up anytime soon. The look on their face told a story of old friends. Magnum decided it wasn’t worth putting any more thought towards the silly little thing when he opened his mouth, “What about the cabin? Ye look like ye’ve sailed these waters before.”

They chuckled lowly as they began walking away, towards a dock not too far off, “Actually, yeah. An old friend brought me here the summer before our final year of law school.”

Magnum followed them closely. He sat down beside them on the dock, watching as they examined the cane closely under the sunlight. 

“We lived in that cabin together for three months. I would swim or explore the woods around here or debate literature with him all day, and he read law books to lull me to sleep every night. It’s… one of the last times I remember being really happy before I died.”

“He sounds like a special lad.”

They smiled sadly and set the cane down to their side, then leaned back to face the sky. 

“Yeah, he was. He… I fell in love with him that summer. I already loved him before then, but he made me feel so safe while we were here. I’ve never said that out loud before. Huh. It’s funny how important details like that can just slip through the cracks when you think you have all the time in the world. I only realized how much I wanted to tell the world about how much I cared about him when I was dying.”

“Did ye ever tell him?”

They were silent for a moment before, quiet as a butterfly’s flap, breathing out one word- “Yes.”

“Oh.”

They didn’t speak again after that, and Magnum wasn’t about to push them. He watched the rippling of the water from the stiff breeze around them. Every loose piece of hair or clothing on him seemed to be blowing away. It didn’t matter. He just wanted to spend this time with his first mate. They might’ve abandoned ship, true, but they were a good one. They got up and led him home after a half hour of sitting in peace. Magnum bet it was mostly due to the storm clouds over head. They always were good at keeping their captain safe from any harm. Perhaps he’d ought to put more trust in them in the future. Maybe next time they went out there, he’d tag along to show them how to carve a canoe. That’d be fun to take out on the lake. He might even show them how to fix up that rickety dock. Maybe. For now, Magnum was going to be landlocked, for them. 


	3. Cutest Jailbird I Ever Did See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That _had_ to be the title for this chapter, he's the fan favorite! Also Jailhouse Rock is an absolute banger.

Yancy knew he wasn’t like the other two schmos. For one, he knew far more about this place an’ all the other egos than they did. He’d looked forward to the visits from them every third Sunday and carefully recorded every piece of information they gave him about the world he was about to enter. Yancy would never forget how surprised he was the day they showed up outta nowhere to get him out of there. Imagine his face when he found out they were a goody-two-shoes lawyer this entire time! Turns out they’d been working to get him out the whole time. He’d walked out at their side, only to round a corner and find himself alone with a motorcycle key in his hand. Yancy had driven himself to his new home. Apparently that was different from those other two; they’d just showed up there the same time as him. Whatever, he’d enjoyed the ride and especially enjoyed gettin’ the chance to hug them first. 

The weeks since had been insane. They hadn’t been kidding when they said the other egos were kinda crazy. Most of ‘em made his prison family look like grade-school bullies. This one guy, Wilford, he fuckin’ murdered a dude every other week on his show. Bim Trimmer, another talk show-type, ate this meat that looked a little too off to be pork like he said it was. The doctor of the place popped up sometimes in random places, told Yancy he was dying, and then just fuckin’ left. It was fuckin’ crazy!

He was just getting an off feeling about this place in general. It wasn’t like Yancy was expected to behave himself like polite folks or anything. The opposite, actually. Most of these guys seemed to be pretty chill with all the fucked up shit Yancy’s done in the past. It was weird as all hell. If he could’ve left without any major consequences, he would’ve marched his happy ass straight back to prison. 

However, they’d already explained that he couldn’t leave for more than a day or two, and he wasn’t about to argue with the boss or Dark. The latter seemed to get cranky at his nickname for them, but c’mon! He thinks it’s pretty obvious who really runs this place. Their role as the lawyer for everyone is crucial all things considered, and they seem to have earned the respect of every other ego. Every time they needed help with something, the fellas dropped everything for them. No wonder too, the boss was just nice. They took time out of their day to help the captain and the other one shake off their doubts about staying. They would watch over the Googles and Bing during updates to make sure nothing went wrong, and they always made time to view Wilford’s newest episodes or listen to the Host’s radio show. Yancy didn’t get it at all. 

He especially didn’t get why they asked him to join them on a trip into town. He doesn’t do too well in metropolitan areas- give ‘im a hoe and a plot of land and he’s good, he can grow tomatoes all the live-long day! But in the city? There’s no way he can do that. 

Yancy rehearses those lines in his head as he steps out into the sunshine. It’s still bitterly cold this early in the year, so he’s got a leather coat he ‘borrowed’ from Illinois on with a pair of gloves from Wilford keeping his hands warm. They’re wheeling the cycle out of the garage to his surprise. 

“You wanna take me to town on that thing? I thought we was gettin’ new camera equipment for Trimmer. We gonna tie it onto the back or something?”

“Nope! I lied about that. We’re just getting you out of the house.” They propped up their bike and leaned back against it. “I know you’re a jailbird and all that, but Dark let me know that you literally haven’t gone outside since you showed up. Is this true?”

Yancy couldn’t deny the truth, “It’s weird out here. Can you really blame me? I’ve been in jail since I was sixteen, I ain’t used to the outside world anymore.”

“Well-” they stood up again- “Let’s fix that. Get on the bike, Yancy.”

He couldn’t disobey a direct order. Next thing he knew, he was flying down the road on the back of the bike, screaming his head off inside his helmet. They’d said it was okay to hold on to them, but he’d grabbed the back bars instead. Turns out that was a poor choice. It only made the ride more terrifying. Who knew this little goodie-two-shoes was such a speed demon? They were pretty damn good at handling the bike too. He was convinced they could turn on a dime if need be, though he really hoped they didn’t need to. Yancy already felt a little sick from how fast they were going; he’d definitely lose his breakfast if they tried to make such a sharp turn. They patted his leg every so often, like his poor ma used to do when he was real little. If he paid close attention to them, they actually reminded him a lot of his ma...

Agh, no. He can’t be thinkin’ like that now. They’re nothing like his parents, they would never leave him behind for a fucking year, and they’re not like the warden either. There’s no way they think of him like a kid ‘cause he ain’t. Yancy hasn’t been a child for a long time; they know that. The warden never quite understood why Yancy acted out so often. This one gets it. He’s damaged goods and he doesn’t want to be fixed. 

They slowed to a stop when the road came to a dead-end at the base of a hill. Yancy wondered on it for a minute- hadn’t he traveled up this same road when he came here- but his thoughts were quickly dispelled when they parked the bike. He hopped off and finally removed his helmet with a loud groan. Their chuckle earned them a middle finger over Yancy’s shoulder. 

“Oh, c’mon, hon. It wasn’t that bad a ride. Honestly, you should try riding behind Wil some time. We ended up in Paris last time I was behind him and still got home in time for dessert! Damn idiot’s insane, but…” They walked into his field of vision with a tense grin on their face, “Enough about that. Let’s get moving, if we hurry we could probably reach the top in an hour. Though, with you being such a slowpoke, it’ll probably take us all day to get up there.”

That was definitely a challenge. Yancy blinked slowly at them for a second, then he picked them up and tossed them onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. All those hours put into lifting weights paid off as he started going up the hill. They burst into startled laughter, “Jesus fuckin’ christ, Yancy. Are you gonna carry me all the way up?”

He let his silence do all the talking. They chuckled again before falling quiet themselves. Yancy noticed the chirps of birds around him and crunching leaves under his feet for the first time in a while. It was really nice in full honesty. There weren’t a lot of animals around the penitentiary, besides the odd day where a pack of dogs came in to “help rehabilitate the prisoners.” Yancy hadn’t realized how long it’d been since he’d last heard a finch’s call. It sounded really nice. When a particularly scratchy call sounded out from a branch just above the duo, he stopped to see if he could spot the source. What he found was pretty, gray hawk watching them closely. It flew off as soon as Yancy looked up at it. 

“Oh, a Chicken Hawk!” sounded out from over his shoulder. 

“Is that was that is? Looks cool, I guess,” Yancy replied as he started moving again. They started explaining, “Well, technically they’re called Cooper’s Hawks, but my Tia Dorothey called them Chicken Hawks. She hated the damn things because they occasionally got into her pigeon coop. I always thought they were rather handsome. Though, I didn’t feel that bad for them whenever her son’s pet coyote would catch one. At least it was a halfway decent meal for Lobito.”

“Your cousin had a pet coyote?”

“Oh, no, Johnny wasn’t my cousin. My mother was really good friends with his, so she was my Tia, but Johnny was a spoiled brat and total dick to me and my sister. We hated his fucking guts. I’ll never forget the time my sister, Dominga, put a scorpion in his shirt while he was playing baseball with his shitty friends.”

Yancy laughed from the thought, “Sounds like a great prank. I didn’t know youse had a sister though.”

“Yeah, Dominga. My mother fell asleep right after giving birth, so my father named her one of the only Spanish words he knew, the word for Sunday. It’s funny because she was born on a Thursday. She was seven years older than me, but we were still really close. I… miss her every day.”

“Oh. I’m sorry for your loss.”

He could kinda feel their shrug against his back. “It’s fine. I know you’re not the familial type, you don’t have to fake that shit with me. She died almost a hundred years ago, anyways. At least I’ve still got her little girl to talk to, though she’s really freakin’ old now and can’t remember much about her mom or about me.”

“Wait, how old are youse?”

“I just turned a hundred and fifteen in December. Why?”

Yancy’s mind was reeling from their response, “I thought youse was twenty-nine!”

“Oh, technically I am. My body’s around the same physical age as when I died, but I was actually born in ‘05. Erm, nineteen-oh-five, that is. The fact that there’s two ‘05s now keeps tripping me up. I dunno, point is I’m old as shit and you’re not allowed to make fun of my age because I can and will kick your ass.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You’re a pretty spry old fart.”

The resulting whack to the back of his head was worth it. My pained whines were cut short when they suddenly weren’t on his shoulder anymore. They were sprinting past Yancy instead, shouting back at him, “Come on! We’re almost there.”

Yancy looked behind him in shock. He didn’t see anything odd besides some yellow smoke, but that was probably just a trick of filtered light. The criminal turned back upwards and started running after them. They didn’t stop until they reached the top. He followed as closely as he could, until he was right by their side and-

Wow, the view. It was probably better at sunset, but just right here it was still gorgeous. He could see everything around for miles. A suburb on the very edge of the horizon, large acres of the forest they inhabited, stopped to the east by insanely tall mountains. He could just barely make out the small lake the captain had talked about visiting with them not too far from the house. Near the mountains, he saw a large patch of bare land he remembered from the explorer’s story about the week where he’d gone on a long geocaching hike with them. Then there was the house. Yancy could swear he saw the pink of Warfstache’s hair in the front yard, even from this far away. This was more than he could’ve ever hoped for. He tried to think back to the last time he saw a view that was anything like this. Yancy couldn’t think of anything. It was all so big. He kind of hated it, but his eyes adamantly refused to look away. Who knew when he’d get to see this again?

“So, what do you think? Worth the trip?”

“Yeah. Definitely”

“You can come back any time, y’know? Just ask me first if you wanna use my bike, okay? And if you get one tiny scratch in it, I’m never letting you use my ride again.”

“What, really? You’re serious?”

“Of course. You’re not trapped at the house all the time, Yancy. None of us are. We just need you there when shit’s going down, alright? Remember your prison family? Apply that same logic to us.”

Yancy nodded vigorously. He pulled them into a tight embrace as his heart jumped all around his chest. They hugged back just as tightly, with soothing pats on his back. 

“Oh, and one more thing while I’ve got you? Please remember that you share your bathroom with three other egos.”

Yancy laughed, “is this about the showers?”

“Yes. Three hours is fine, but please start your shower at night instead of seven-thirty in the morning. I keep getting complaints and one of the three others has threatened to stab you.”

“Is it Trimmer?”

“Yeah, it’s Bim.”

Yancy sighed in agreement and kept on hugging them. 


	4. And I Ache

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Onto the main event... have you been paying attention?

Wilford Warfstache is a damned fool. Always has been, and always will be. Even before his name was Wilford, he knew he’d never see any pearly gates. The blood on his hands weighs him down too much for him to live in the clouds. He’d found his peace in that knowledge long before that weekend he could never quite remember. Most memories seemed to slip between his fingers- people, places, those he loved and those he killed. They weren’t anything but marbles in the sand to him. 

But he could never forget them. Not anymore.

They’d showed up at the house three years ago to the day. Dark had been the one to open the door first and had promptly slammed it in their face. He’d looked like he’d seen a ghost. Dark had immediately put the house on lockdown- no one went in or out. Of course, Wilford Warfstache doesn’t follow any rules but his own. Dark really shouldn’t have made such a fuss if he wanted to keep Wilford from seeing them. They’d looked at Wilford with the saddest smile he’d ever seen and something bizarre happened. With everyone, even with Dark and the detective, he’d always needed prompting to remember. This time, it was different- no, they were different. He was ashamed to have ever forgotten them in the first place. 

Wilford brought them in right away and this is where they’ve stayed ever since. He delights in every second they spend near him. They don’t even have to acknowledge his existence for Wilford to be left beaming. He’d rather die for a good long while then have them leave his side. So he stayed near them. And his heart swelled with every word they spoke, every little giggle, every brush of their fingertips against his skin. They were perfect. He wanted to do everything he could to make them happy.

There was just something they kept secret. Wilford had thought about it a million times since they showed up; he just couldn’t understand how they were here. The last time he’d seen them was when they woke up from dying. He’d turned around looking for someone- he’s never been sure who exactly- and then Dark was there, guiding him out of the house. Normally, Wilford would think any secrets anyone kept didn’t matter- they would tell him when they were ready- but this one was hurting them. Consequently, it was hurting him. He refused to allow any unnecessary suffering for them. 

So he asked. One day, when they hadn’t looked happy once, he resolved to finally discover whatever they were hiding. Wilford forgot about it and ended up waiting until a week later, when they’d gotten back from a drive with the criminal. He followed them closely up to their room. They stopped in the doorway.

“Is something wrong, Wil?”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out, friend.”

His knees became weak when they looked back at him. Then, they held out one hand to him. Wilford grasped it like a lifeline and was drawn into their bedroom. They let him shut the door as they fell back onto their bed. He just stood there. 

“You’ve been keeping something from everyone. You think no one knows, and maybe you’re right about everyone else, but I know. Please, tell me whatever’s hurting you so much. I can make it go away. Whatever secret you’ve got, it’ll never hurt you again if you’ll just tell me.”

He was sitting at their side now, though he’d never moved an inch. They were so close; he’d only have to stretch his pinkie to touch their hand. Wilford wanted to, so badly. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d touched them first, only the moments where they’d held his shoulder or kissed his cheek. It seemed like a good idea to start that now, but his hand fell on smoke instead of flesh. Their entire arm fell apart into yellow smoke. He watched in horror as it blew away and reformed into their arm again, only this time that arm looked like… glass? Yes, but not quite… 

“A mirror…” he breathed out. They sat up, letting him see the truth. It wasn’t just their arm. Their entire body was a cracked mirror, occasionally breaking apart into smoke, but their form sucked it back in before it drifted too far away. 

“Yes, okay, you’re right Wil. I was keeping something from you, and now you know. I’m nothing more than an unnatural abomination who's only here because the manor burned. That’s my great secret. Are you satisfied now, Wil? Or do you still want to make this, make me go away?”

He was speechless. They must’ve taken the silence poorly, as they broke it with choked laughter, “Oh, shit, I really broke you, huh? Well, I better get out of here in that case. Dark’s going to literally kill me when he finds out.”

“Dark’s not harming a hair on your head.” Wilford grabbed their wrist tightly, even as it split into smoke again. “And you can’t leave! I, god, why would you think I want you gone?”

“Look at me Wil! I’m nothing more than smoke and mirrors!” They looked at him with tearful eyes. “I’m not going to put this on you. You’re too-”

“Too damaged? Too fragile? My friend, I have gone to hell and come back with a hit talk show. Not even time can hurt me anymore. Honestly, look around. I built a house that defies all logic and filled it with some of the most dangerous beings I could find! I let a goddamn demon run the place! I spent the last eighty years before you showed up completely insane and I’m still here. This is just another one of those things. I’m not letting go, so either you stay here or take me with you. These guys can take care of themselves, honestly they’d probably reach their goals sooner if I wasn’t here. But I can’t be without you.”

“You were without me for eighty years. What’s so different now?”

“I met you again. You don’t know how much more clarity I have now versus then. Of course I have my days, I’m not the same man I was, but I feel better. I’m not losing that again, no matter whether you’re flesh or, smoke you said? And the manor burned, well, I don't know what that is but that means you don't have anywhere else to stay. No one told you to go. Please, don't leave me.”

They shook their head and looked down. He was still holding their wrist tightly. It grew more solid by the second, like a memory you're struggling to recall the details of or the surface of a freezing lake. 

“God, what did I do to deserve you?” they gently whispered. He moved down to hold their hand. 

“Nothing at all, baby.”

They ended up telling him everything. How a mysterious fire set them- and anything else lurking in the manor's shadows- free and how they'd wandered alone until they came across this house by accident. All of the reminders of days long since passed they’ve been finding recently, everything he couldn’t remember about that weekend, an affair of the heart they’d never told anyone about. He held their hand through all of it, even when they literally fell apart. Wilford didn’t interject with his own commentary once. In all his years as an interviewer, the only rule he always followed was "never interrupt a subject when they have pertinent information to share." So he listened quietly until every other word was interrupted by a yawn. Wilford guided them into lying down in his arms, so they weren’t too far away from him. They fell asleep before they could finish. He didn’t dare wake them up. Wilford thought about all his mind could fathom from their lecture as they slept. 

He realized at around four in the morning that he didn’t know what they looked like. So, he took a minute to memorize their appearance. How he’d never noticed their curly, dark-brown hair or soft, light-brown skin before, Wilford couldn’t say. They were short compared to him, but with lean muscles evident under their button-up. The most striking feature to him was the pretty little mole just below their mouth. He tried his best to keep every piece of their appearance cemented in his mind. Wilford promised himself he’d never forget them again. 

Their dark brown eyes blinked open slowly as he tried his best to memorize them. That beauty mark near their mouth stretched up with their smile. 

“What are you doing?” they asked in a very sleepy voice. He brushed a distracting lock of hair off their forehead, discovering it was completely knotted and unkempt in the process. He’d have to fix that. 

“I never noticed how fetching you are before.”

Their eyes blinked twice and then they burst into giggles, “Oh, holy fucking shit, you’re not trying to woo me now, when I’m waking up in your arms. Christ, Wil, I already like you without the sweet talk!”

He hadn’t thought about their position before he’d said that, but once they pointed it out, Wilford had no choice but to laugh with them. He’d never been the romantic type- he preferred to excite bored housewives and surprise stuck-up businessmen- and there was no reason to start a proper courtship now. 

“No, no, it’s just an observation, baby.”

They smirked at him, “So I’m your baby now?”

“Well, I don’t know what else to call you.”

“That’s right, I’ve never given you my name! I never got the chance that weekend, and everything’s been hectic ever since.”

He had no idea what they were talking about anymore. Everything was gone except them and the fact that he had another interview coming up soon. In the back of his mind, he reminded himself to find his subject. He also reminded himself of his status as a damned fool; he wouldn’t remember them. Living outside of the flow of time means there will be people you can’t remember anymore after they’ve left you. But Wilford knows won’t forget their name as long as this trick of smoke and mirrors near him. 

“I’m Gael. Gael Isidore Hughes.”


	5. Let Them Be Buried

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're
> 
> **not**
> 
> **GONE**

It didn’t like these recent developments. Not at all. 

They were fine when they simply acted as a lawyer for the egos. But now, they were building relationships with all the others. They’d captured the respect of the newest batch of egos before it could get close. Worse yet, Wilford was paying too much attention to them. This was something it simply couldn’t allow. It had to stop them here and now. Half of it screamed to force them out of the house, but the other half cooly disagreed. That wouldn’t help anything. They’d simply have to understand who held the power in this house, that’s all. 

It caught them in their office in the earliest hours of the day. They always had a bad habit of starting work before anything else. They were at least enjoying an apple as they went through case files. At least D^*U$# had taught them something on taking care of themselves. 

They looked up as it entered. It didn’t know how they’d felt its presence- it was hiding its aura at the moment, they shouldn’t have been able to detect it. They set the apple down in favor of a pen. 

“Good morning, Dark. Is something the matter? I’m sure whatever it is, it’s not Wil’s fault.”

“But it is.”

They sent a glare its way. “Impossible. He’s still asleep, and I’m certain he didn’t cause any trouble last night.”

_ He might have, _ it silently thought. He did disappear after supper last night. It’s usually a bad sign when Wilford doesn’t show up for dessert. That’s none of its concern right now, though. It’s focused on them.

“He brought you here. You’ve been a valuable asset to us, and a good friend. But you seem to have forgotten the order of things.”

They bowed their head to hide their expression. Interesting.

“You know you are not in charge here. I am so generous to you, yet you have disrespected my position. I want to know, why?”

Not a peep. This would normally make it very, very angry. But anger wouldn’t solve any part of this problem. They weren’t as easily intimidated as some of the others who’ve challenged it in the past. It could deal with silence. That was preferable over some alternative reactions.

“Why don’t you say anything? Is it because you know there is no excuse for this behavior? The order of things in this place is very clear, yet you have betrayed that order. However, this infraction can be forgiven. All I ask is for you to not repeat it.”

“All you ask is for me to give up my friendships.”

They weren’t behind the desk anymore. All that remained in their chair was fluttering papers and yellow smoke. It could feel their form behind its body now. There was an… no, this can’t be. They can’t have one of their own. 

“Those three boys are my friends. I’m the one that found them, I make sure they stick around the house, and they all look towards me for guidance. None of them are your toys, just as none of the egos belong to you. You are not the head of this household. You’ve got one thing right, though.”

It could feel their au- energy right next to its ear now. They whispered a thunderous roar. 

“I am disrespecting your position. I’d apologize, but…”

They moved again, this time ending up back in their seat with their feet propped up on the table. In their hands was a black cane, with a plated silver top… Impossible.

“How can I say anything nice to my murderer?”

It kept itself calm, though it didn’t look away from the cane. 

“Wilford is your murderer.”

“No. He made a mistake which I have already forgiven him for. I care about him deeply, almost more than I care about anyone else. You, however. You left me to rot in a mirror for  _ eighty years _ . The slowest, most painfully torturous death would have been better. Worse yet, you have made the universe forget my  _ name _ .” They stood up and pointed the handle of the cane at it. “What’s my name, Dark?”

It pulled up a smile everyone had forgotten but them and a pet name they’d surely melt for. “Dear-”

“ _ What’s my name? _ ” They repeated with much more force. It dropped that act. An  _ aura _ was pressing back against it, isolating them from its influence. This energy was just as powerful as its own. This could hurt them somewhat if they lashed out at it. It had no choice.

“Gale.”

“There. Was that so hard to break one silly little curse?” They sat back down in satisfaction. “Now all our friends can know my name and your title.”

It was inwardly furious. They had  _ won _ . Had their aura not been keeping them safe… It would’ve shown them a fate worse than their abandonment.

“Of course, I would never deny my friends such a simple luxury. Excuse me.”

It moved to leave to sort out this new knowledge. The red half of them was beyond enraged with this  _ little fucking whore, how could they do something like this?  _ The blue half was calmer, yet still extremely concerned. This was bad. They were much more like it than it’d thought. It would need to bring extra support the next time it needed to confront them. Without Wilford, though, who else could it trust? It would simply have to retrieve him from their greedy grasp. 

How hard could that be?

“Wait.”

It stopped to look back at them. They were standing behind the desk, with the cane nowhere in sight now. These powers certainly were an interesting development. Gale came around, shaking their head, “You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t a luxury to me- it’s my right to be called what I wish. The only one denying that to me was you.”

He looked up with a teary-eyed expression.

“You stole my name and my existence from everyone’s minds. It didn’t matter how close I was to them. What Wil did to my body wasn’t okay, but what you did to the memories of everyone I’ve ever loved is beyond unforgivable. My own niece doesn’t recognize me! But, I’m undoing that damage now. You’ve given back my name, Wil’s finally become my friend, and your powers can’t do shit to me anymore.”

It inwardly grimaced at him, yet stayed as calm as it could. Through its gritted teeth, it replied, “You cannot take revenge. I am still above your station and I still have control over the egos.”

“No, you don’t. Neither of us have control over them.” He leaned back against the front of his desk. “They’re not puppets. You can’t control their every action at will. You don’t even have the tools which would allow you to do so.”

“You have those. Tell me, how many of them are under the power of the cane?”

“The cane? Oh, no, I have other plans for that. You’re still missing the truth in this situation,” he sighed deeply, “Oh well. You’ll figure it out eventually. For now, though, I want you to remember this, Dark. You don’t own me. I’m just as strong as you are, and I will rip you apart if it’s the last thing I do in this miserable life. If you ever dare to reform after that, then I will track you down and tear you in three all over again. Now you can go.”

It pointedly adverted his gaze as it left. 

This wasn’t good. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO now that this story's done, should I continue with this idea? I've got the rest of the plot around my DA outlined, but idk if anyone but me actually likes them, so please lmk! I can't wait to see your feedback!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! If you liked this, please leave a kudos and a comment.
> 
> Have a great day and stay safe!


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